Patent GB-845048-A (GB)
Title: Method and means for collecting flexible sheets by means of endless conveyor belts and having the belts operable at different speeds
IPC: B65H29/14
Filed: 1958-04-16
Abstract: 845,048. Sheet-delivery apparatus; collapsible rollers. STOBBS, A. R. April 16, 1958 [Jan. 27, 1958], No. 12123/58. Class 100(1) In a collector of flexible sheets such as papers which are folded into signatures, the signatures 17 are disposed in an overlapped relation between a pair of incoming conveyers 11, 12 which move them in their edgewise direction transverse to the fold and on to a third conveyer 13 where the signatures are stacked in aligned relation, a variable speed drive means being provided for operating one of the conveyers 11, 12 at a speed different from the speed of the other of the conveyers 11, 12. The belts of the conveyer 11 are driven by a roller 28 on a driven shaft 104 provided with a gear 112 which meshes with a gear 113 on a shaft 38 which carries the driving roller 37 for the conveyer 12. The conveyer 12 passes over belt tensioning rollers 39, 41 and pulleys 33, 42 adjustably mounted on the machine frame 10. The conveyer 11 passes over pulleys 27 and 30, the latter being rotatably mounted on a shaft 31 and a shaft 29 having knurled rollers 60 thereon for moving the trailing edges of the signatures on to the conveyer 13. The leading edges are engaged by an adjustable stop 19. An electric motor drives a first variable speed unit 78 having an output shaft coupled to a shaft 63 which is connected to the input of a second variable speed unit 77 and also has thereon a sprocket 102 connected by a chain 106 to a sprocket 103 fast on the shaft 104. Rotation of the right-hand hand wheel 101 adjusts the speed of the shaft 63 and, hence, of the conveyers 11, 12. The second unit 77 is adjustable by the left-hand hand wheel 101 and its output drives a shaft 73 connected to shaft 31 by worm gearing 74, 76. The driving pulleys of the conveyer 13 are fast on the shaft 31. Thus, whilst adjustment of the right-hand wheel 101 affects the speed of all three conveyers, adjustment of the left-hand wheel 101 affects the speed of the conveyer 13 only. To effect a relative change of speed between the conveyers 11, 12 the roller 28 is made to be expandable. The roller is formed of segments 114, movable radially on the shaft 104. The roller is provided with an end plate 116 at each end in which cam slots 117 are disposed. A stud 118 extends through each slot and is secured by nuts. A flange 119 is mounted on each end of the shaft 104 and a cylinder 121 having radial slots 122 is attached between the flanges 119. The slots 122 receive blocks 123 on the segments 114. Thus by slackening the nuts on the studs 118 and rotating the plates 116 the diameter of the roller may be varied, and hence the speed of conveyer 11 with respect to the conveyer 12. Adjustments are made in order to line up the leading folded edges of signatures or to take account of the thickness of the overlapped signatures and the consequent increase in the distance to be travelled by those parts of the signatures touching the conveyer 11 with respect to those parts touching the conveyer 12. Specification 809,212 is referred to.